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Hope everyone had a great Memorial Day and will enjoy this short week! I've officially started my law clerk summer job, and so far my only complaint is that I have to deal with rush hour times on the Metro in DC. Ugh!
Anyway, on to the puzzle!
Relative difficulty: Easy
Theme answers:
- BUM AROUND (17A: Wander locally with no plans)
- REAR WINDOW (26A: Hitchcock movie with James Stewart and Grace Kelly)
- BEHIND THE SCENES (40A: Backstage)
- BOTTOM LINE (49A: Final amount)
“Della Street is the fictional secretary of Perry Mason in the long-running series of novels, short stories, films, and radio and television programs featuring the fictional defense attorney created by Erle Stanley Gardner” (Wikipedia)
• • •
So that was a pretty weird-ass puzzle, wasn't it? And, to that effect, what a weird "ass" puzzle. Ha ha. Get it? I thought the theme was fun and surprising, albeit kind of weird. It was certainly different and unexpected. I definitely chuckled when I figured out what the theme was. At first, I thought the puzzle might lead to something with an acting theme, with REAR WINDOW and BEHIND THE SCENES, but that never went anywhere. (Side note: Anyone who hasn't seen "Rear Window" before should go see it ASAP — it's Jimmy Stewart and Grace Kelly at their absolute best.) It turns out the puzzle was getting a little saucy with a theme of BUTTHEADS, along with DAMNRIGHT (3D: "Hell, yeah!"), which I initially had as "darnright." We usually don't see any curse words in the puzzle.
Overall, I liked the construction. It didn't feel super heavy, and, though I got a bit stumped in some places, the puzzle never felt like a slog. The theme answer all the way across worked well in the middle of the grid and provided some support for those clues I was struggling with.
I did get stuck in the southwest with BEADS (49D: Alternative to a door between rooms) crossing DELLA. I mean, I've seen beads in doorways before, but they're really a '70s thing, and it never crossed my mind that that was what the puzzle was referring to. Especially because I had no idea who DELLA Street was (a character who, while famous in her time, was in a show that went off the air in 1966). So, I lost a lot of time trying to puzzle that crossing out.
In general, the fill was clean — if you don't mind the usual ETTE, ELL, NEO, SSN, ERE, EAU, ARAL, and SPA. I'm against seeing RAE (15A: Singer Carly __ Jepsen) in puzzles now because I feel like I've seen her on overload recently — the Times could learn a couple more current singers. Or something. But I do like her music, so it's nothing personal!
Overall, there were some fun words and themers. I particularly liked BUMAROUND. And, seeing DUNGEON (21A: Basement of a castle, perhaps) in the puzzle was kind of fun (mostly becaue it's medieval, and that just appeals to me). I'm not sure, though, about INTERFACE at 37D: Communicate (with). I at first thought it was kind of cool and just a different word, but I now wish it had been clued differently because, as I've learned from my grammar freak Dad, INTERFACE is actually a noun, not a verb.
Misc:
- I liked the clue for LIBRA (52D: Cooperative, balanced type, they say) because I definitely wasn't originally thinking about Zodiac signs, so I found it amusing when I worked it out. I don't put much stock in Zodiac, though, because I'm a Cancer, and Cancers are supposed to be super emotional, and I'm just... not!
- I grew up singing the song "Man! I Feel Like a Woman!" by Shania TWAIN (9D), so it's fun to see it in the puzzle — though it must've been something to see a 10-year-old singing a song about being a woman. (As I'm writing this, the song is playing in the Bruins-Blues hockey game. Maybe Boston's good taste in music is the reason the Bruins won the game.)
- I could eat NUTELLA (27D: Chocolatey spread) by the spoonful. I will again say that NUTELLA is the best thing to put on crepes.
- I found the clue for 68A as UNCLE cute because I love the royal family and, like most girls, once dreamed of being a princess. I do feel bad for Prince Louis, who apparently, didn't rate for this puzzle.
- Loved the clue/answer for 67A: Basket part grabbed after slam-dunking as RIM. You didn't think I could finish a write-up at this time of year without talking about my Warriors, did you? I can't wait to see some epic dunks from the Warriors where they grab the RIM — I'm just glad we don't have to face Giannis, who might've been the one doing the dunking against the Dubs. (Anywho, go, Warriors!!)
- Jesse OWENS (22D) is one of the greatest American athletes of all time and a huge inspiration to me.
- I only know HEATH (16A) bars because it's a candy I got at Halloween each year that I'd always threw away.
[Follow Rex Parker on Twitter and Facebook]
Easy-medium. Smooth and delightful, liked it. A cut above the typical Tuesday. Nice write up Clare!
ReplyDelete@Clare, if you’re going to throw away Heath Bars, throw them my way, one of my favorites.
ReplyDeleteLoved the puzzle and noticed the heinie theme after BUM and REAR, still laughed when I came to BUTT HEADS.
We have a lot of wild roosters here and the do STRUT around, I think it’s more showing off than walking proudly.
Really enjoyed this one, thank you, Aimee.
Very enjoyable review, Clare. I also thought puzzle was easy, no stumbling blocks for me, a rarity. I thought your pun about it being a weird ass puzzle was clever and on the money.
ReplyDeleteIf the Metro is anything like the New York subways, you should see a decrease in the number of riders in August, which is still a very traditional vacation time. Especially the last couple of weeks, just before Labor Day. In any event, I hope you enjoy your gig as a summer law clerk.
Tuchus only a short time to finish this fun, easy puzzle!
ReplyDeleteClare – I enjoyed your write-up and wish you all the best this summer in DC. Bet it’ll be hot.
ReplyDeleteFun, lighthearted easy peasy Wednesday. When I finally allowed myself to look at the reveal, I laughed. (Hi, @chefwen.) A fundamental theme. Hah.
@Frog Prince Kisser - good one.
Aimee gave us a keister egg with ASSET. So then I sniffed around looking for others. If you squint, you can sense a fannyesque vibe in PORTAL. Ahem.
I liked INTERFACE crossing BUTTHEADS. Don’t we all? All the time? The reveal could work flipped around to HEADBUTTS, too. And don’t we all work for a head butt? Ours is insisting that we work seven days beyond the students’ last day, and rumor has it that we’re being punished for striking. The floggings will continue until the morale improves.
ADDLE is a great word. Lobster bible, Harvard beetle, pig style, false startle, ground chuckle, stink bugle.
I totally agree that REAR WINDOW is worth a view. I would kill to own a celadon suit like the one Grace Kelly wears.
Clare – the beauty of English is that its words are recalcitrant and unruly. They cheerfully ignore whatever lexical category they’re assigned. I’m fine with INTERFACE as a verb. I mean, heck, we can table a discussion, chair a committee, impact a life. And Matt Damon, stranded up on Mars, had “… to science the shit out of this.” Verbing nouns is great fun. (But if your dad is one who stridently objects to impact as a verb, then just let him be. As Benjamin Dreyer aptly notes, people who “persist in insisting that these nonrules are real and valid and [are] to be hewed to, all the expert citations in the world won’t, I know through experience, change [their] mind one tiny little bit.”
Aimee - this is one I'll remember for a long time. Nice job.
As per Beevis and Butthead, Aimee said "buttheads." Heh heh, heh heh.
DeleteThis puzzle was The Best. Fun fill, fun themers, fun clues. Kind of borderline Monday-easy, but I was enjoying each bit so much that it was great to be able to jump to the next one.
ReplyDeleteINTERFACE is a fine verb when you’re a software engineer like Aimee. It’s cringeworthy in the ECL (Expanded Corporate Lexicon) among many other nouns that have been verbed, like “dialogue,” but unlike “dialogue” it’s getting use-immunity, so Claire’s dad and I need to get over it. Frisson supressed.
Chefwen- hand over half those HEATH bars, please. Mmmmmm. Ever see the Andy Rooney piece on HEATH? It went something like “butter, sugar, and chocolate. That’s all you need.”
In one ear is the voice screaming to free the puns on this theme that are raging to burst out, but I'll accede to the voice in the other ear telling me to sit on it.
ReplyDeleteAnother hidden ASS(ET) is connected to AL. It is actually part of two conjoined BUMs.
ReplyDeleteWonderful! Looking forward to more like this from Aimee. And hope to hear from you soon Claire; clever write up. Although as a toiler in the law fields, you should know Della Street.
ReplyDelete@LMS
ReplyDeleteYou're on Summer Break for only a few days and you already forget what day of the week it is?? :)
Fun puzzle with a theme that appeals to me... although chronologically I'm a senior citizen, my sense of humor is still that of a ten year old. Life is supposed to be fun!
Good job, Aimee. Starting Tuesday with a smile...
Very fast, but some interesting fill. Easy theme, but well-done. I liked it.
ReplyDeleteI thought it was Wednesday also.
ReplyDeleteOff the scale easy for a Tuesday – would have been on the easy side for a Monday.
ReplyDeleteIs the revealer 1D (all bum) or 62A (ass set)?
@Gill I from Saturday – I’m not a dad, and I found that joke to be very funny.
I liked this puzzle a lot, a fun, easy Tuesday. I agree with Claire about BEADS in doorways, super dated. But then DELLA Street, which is even more dated, was one of my favorite clues, I loved the show as a kid, and the books. My only objection to anything is EVA - no idea what that is or what it stands for. Maybe something I should know, but I don’t.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the write-up Claire.
Perry Mason is one of my wife’s favorite shows and she’s not THAT old -it was on again from. 73-74 and again from 85-95.
ReplyDeleteA cutie patootie that I didn't want to END. Hah. Where's my fanny pack?
ReplyDeleteSo we have a rear of a Tuesday and I say let the Bevis and BUTT HEAD jokes begin. Better than talking politics. Or are those two synonymous?
Anything Hitchcock in my puzzle is AOK by me. I've seen all of them. The Birds scared me silly as did Psycho but REAR WINDOW is one of his best.
All these years I thought the Blue Angels belonged to the Air Force. Shame on me. The very first time I saw them was when I lived in San Francisco. Without warning they roared right through the middle of the city... people were ducking and running for a bomb shelter. Can you imagine? This was during the time all the peaceniks were parading around with flowers in their hair and singing kumbaya. Evidently Moscone forgot to let everyone know ahead of time. San Francisco was fun to live in.
Nice write-up, Clare. And let your fun begin!
Potty humor is not my favorite genre, but this theme definitely worked. Revealer was perfect, functioning also as a continuation of the theme itself. For the second day in a row, less than 1 minute behind my PB time.
ReplyDeleteNice write-up, Clare. I can certainly understand your getting hung up by BEADS crossing DELLA, though the former as clued couldn’t have been much else despite numerous theoretical possibilities (BEAkS? BEAmS? BEAnS? BEArS?).
I agree completely with others re REAR WINDOW, arguably Hitchcock’s most perfectly crafted film. Along with Vertigo and a couple of others, this was not available for viewing from 1973 through 1983 because of legal issues. When they were finally re-released CINEASTES were ecstatic. Over subsequent decades Vertigo quickly rose in esteem, finally displacing Citizen Kane in 2012 as the greatest film of all time in an influential poll of critics.
The TV show of Perry Mason may have ended in 1966, but it ran on TV for decades and is still in syndication now. There were also countless TV movie versions in the 80s. Not to mention the fact that the series of books have sold over 300 million copies. They are still in print. Oh, and the movie versions from the 30s are still popular on TCM with several different actresses playing Della Street and actors playing Perry. Hardly obscure, even on a Tuesday. As for the puzzle, pardon the pun but this theme was beneath the NYT.
ReplyDeletePS--Just noticed an interesting connection, unintended for sure: The heavy in REAR WINDOW was played by Raymond Burr, best known for his later portrayal of DELLA Street's boss Perry Mason.
ReplyDeleteSaid BUTTHEAD: "Hey Beavis, I snuck ASSET and RIM into a puzzle about asses. Hehehehe."
ReplyDeleteGood puzzle, good write-up... and some GREAT comments here!
ReplyDeleteFast for a Tuesday in spite of reading 1A's clue as "Elizabeth of comics." That one had to go in off the crosses. I didn't realize my mistake until after I'd solved and thought "There's no ARDEN in comics" DAMNRIGHT there isn't. I didn't realize the theme either until after solving .
ReplyDeleteI missed the little intro and thought, wow, OFL's in a good mood today. Should have known better.
ReplyDeleteBen and Jerry stopped putting Heath Bars into their ice cream because the Heath people were doing things that were environmentally unfriendly. It's now Toffee Bar Crunch, your factoid of the day.
In Spain back in the day I was told that the beads used as doors on shops opening to the street kept the flies out. To which I would say, maybe.
I thought this was a fine Tuesday but now I've got another earworm. Yesterday it was Jim Dandy and today it's Danny Boy, also known as Londonderry Air.
EVA=extra vehicular activity.
ReplyDeleteGood Tues puz.
Cute, smooth, and well-executed. By the time I got to BOTTOM LINE, I knew what the subject of the theme would be, but was unable to guess the revealer. The revealer is adorable.
ReplyDeleteI'm curious about the constructor's thought process. Did she think of the revealer first and then come up with various tush themers? Or did she have an idea for the themers first and then wrack her brain to come up with a revealer that would produce them? I think I'll go to Wordplay and look at the constructor notes.
A word to everyone: Please don't INTERFACE with me. Communicate, talk, schmooze, correspond, drop by just to say "Hi". INTERFACE is a horrible word -- bloodless and soulless and unworthy of any human contact worth talking about. Save it for your gadgets.
My heterodoxy of the day: Jesse Owens is overrated. Certainly a very fine track and field man, but one of America's greatest atheltes? I'm not so sure. He has no resume in stick ball sports, unlike, say Jim Thorpe who not only has the Olympic track and Field gold thing on his C.V., but he was an awesome football player and a pretty good baseball player too. Also, he has the greatest line ever for an Olympic athlete at the games.
ReplyDeleteHey All !
ReplyDeleteWhat a cheeky puz!
BUTT HEADS, har. They are all euphemisms for ASS, and they're all at the HEAD (beginning) of the answer. Very apt Revealer. I love it when a theme is tied all together like this! DAMN RIGHT! :-) And on a Tuesday, which is the Black Sheep of NYT puzzledom. Brava Aimee!
A tad high on the threes, 23 of 'em, with a bunch of those Abbrs. But(t), easily overlookable with such a funny fanny puz.
No real hold-ups here today. Have to admit my last letter in was the D of BEADS/DELLA. I know of DELLA Street, but that answer always seems to e just in the edge of the ole brain.
Now it's time to get my derriere in motion. Get off my hindquarters. Get my rump moving. Lift my tushie off the chair, and get my buns active.
ADDLE ONSET
RooMonster
DarrinV
This seems to be a part of the anatomy that brings out the punster in absolutely everyone. Lots of good ones on the blog today, but my favorite is from @Frog Prince Kisser. It's amazing how many synonyms there are for the rear end in English. No other body part comes close. I wonder if this is true in all languages. And should we blame the fetish on the Anglos or the Saxons or both?
ReplyDeleteThe most baffling thing on the blog today is why @pabloinnh (8:21) developed a "Danny Boy" earworm today. I can't find any reference to the song in the write-up, the clues, or the grid. What am I missing?
This puzzle made me think of other uses for the New York Times.
ReplyDeleteWho's the black private dick
ReplyDeleteThat's a sex machine to all the chicks?
-- Shaft! --
You're damn right
He's a complicated man, but no one understands him but his woman. This puzzle, on the other hand, is uncomplicated, unfussy, and a perfect Tuesday outing. It doesn't cop out when there's danger all about (just what is going on across the courtyard from that rear window???). It would risk its neck for its brother (and its uncle).
I can dig it. This puzzle is a bad mother--I'll shut my mouth now.
•••••
Part 2 of "The Green Paint Mystery" was posted late in yesterday's thread. We need volunteers for part 3 and for future installments.
I found it to be a lot of fun to do. It occurred to me that people could incorporate what they usually post about here into the story line, in an oblique way. For example, LMS's school adventures, GILL I.'s food recipes -- you get the idea. Anyway, 'sup to you. Please feel free to contribute.
@Nancy -- London derriere.
ReplyDeleteIs this the dirtiest puzzle ever published in the NYT? RIM, BEADS, DUNGEON, .... there’s nothing in UTERO about this puzzle. Heck, even Carly RAE Jepsen’s big hit can be seen to be in on the kink. I’m pretty sure this puzzle violates Comstock Laws three different ways.
ReplyDeleteSpent some time watching the DI College Finals. The Men’s final was a pretty bad game. The Dartmouth v UCSD Women’s final, on the other hand, was some great disc. Nothing makes me happier than seeing these women make some outstanding plays then do the “yea, I just did that” STRUT. The game was on ESPNU, so the video isn’t easily found, yet. But if you want to see some gripping competition by college athletes you cannot do better than that Final.
@LMS - I’ve mentioned this before, but my father-in-law spent a huge chunk of his career representing school districts in labor negotiations (indeed, he lost the case that approved teacher strikes in Michigan). What he learned was that part of his job in protecting school districts was to advise against the personal pettiness that negotiations often led to. Good luck.
@Joe Dipinto (10:44)-
ReplyDeleteYou're damn right!
One of the first and most useful things I learned as a summer associate in a law firm was never to takes anyone’s word for things without looking it up on my own to verify. “Interface” is also a verb. It is especially in common use as a verb now. Good luck with your summer!
ReplyDeleteBOTTOM LINE: too easy puzzle saved by Clare’s nice writeup and some wonderful comments by the usual insomniac posters. Today Sir Hillary beat me to Beavis who sadly missed his rightful homage in this puzzle. And once again LMS finds the perfect avatar and Lewis, tskkk! I hear you.
ReplyDeletePuzzle was a fun stroll through the nether regions of our language's euphemisms. I only did the downs, so I didn't catch the theme or theme untries until after. Refreshingly fun.
ReplyDelete@LMS - Great avatar, though dairy air, or what is outgassed from the south end of a northbound bovine, isn't fun to interface with. Just sayin'. :-)
Thanks, Joe and Pablo. Should have seen the pun. But didn't.
ReplyDeleteLet me echo @Joe Dipinto's 10:41 sentiment. Please pitch in, everyone, to writing "The Green Paint Mystery." And when you do, you might want to leave an irresistible morsel for the person who will follow you. In case you didn't see it last night, @GILL, Joe's passage is awash in booze and music -- right up your alley, @GILL, I would think. At the end, may I suggest a reference to martial arts to bring in @Aketi...or a reference to skiing to bring in Pablo... or a reference to teaching to bring in @Loren, and so forth. We have a lot of good writers here and a lot of contrasting writing styles. The final result should be...interesting.
The puzzle was Monday Easy, which made me look twice when @LMS said it was Wednesday. I liked it, and my first thought was Maleska would never have allowed DAMN RIGHT. Times have changed.
ReplyDeleteI came here to praise Clare for her splendid, lighthearted writeup. And wish her well in her summer clerkship.
I'll add that it took going back and reading it again to figure out why @pablo got an earworm. London Derriere, indeed. Should have been in he puzzle.
My sister's favorite "expletive" is "Oh, she/he is a pain in the SSA"!
ReplyDeleteI like to get the revealer without looking at the clue to see if I can figure out the theme. So this time I filled in 64A from crosses and all I could see was BUT THE ADS. Was the theme Web-related? As in, "What do you think of the NY Times web site?" "It's pretty good. But the ads..."
ReplyDeleteI'll jump in.
ReplyDelete•••••• THE GREEN PAINT MYSTERY ••••••
Part 1
Long before anyone saw it or touched it, Jonathan smelled it. It was a very faint smell because it was still wet. Paint smells the worst when it's drying -- not when the paint has just been applied. It's counter-intuitive, but it's something most people are aware of. But not Jonathan. How could he have known such a thing back then? He was only seven.
Years later he would think: Such a tiny, seemingly insignificant detail. And yet the anguish that was to come to so many people over so many years could have been avoided. If only the smell had nauseated him. Choked him. Suffocated him. So that he didn't simply roll over and go back to sleep...
•••••••••••••
Part 2
He was thinking about that on a May afternoon, as he slipped his favorite Claudine Longet album out of its dustjacket onto his Dual turntable and poured himself a glass of prosecco. He had invited his good friend Rudolf Steiner to stop by his apartment in Red Hook that afternoon. Rudolf was a crack piano salesman -- he once sold an Imperial Bõsendorfer to internationally famous concert artist Henry Orient -- and a keen adventurer, and had also acquired a reputation as a bit of a sleuth.
Jonathan wondered why he had never told Rudolf about that night. Now, Jonathan felt, Rudolf might be useful in helping him uncover what the police had never been able to piece together about the events that had transpired.
"Sunday best, I'm dwessed to kill the afternoon / You know how dwaggy afternoons can be sometimes..." Claudine's endearing breathlessness wafted through Jonathan's living room. As he poured himself another prosecco the doorbell rang. Knowing that Rudolf was due to arrive at just about that time, Jonathan pressed the buzzer that unlatched the inside door of the building and stepped into the hallway. "Hey, Rudy--" he started to call out but almost immediately the words caught in his throat.
For in the entranceway was a person from out of Jonathan's past memories that he had not expected to ever see again. "Hello, Jonathan," said the apparition calmly. "It's been quite a long time, hasn't it?" Jonathan started to speak, but before any utterance could sound he fell to the floor in a dead faint.
••••••••••••
Part 3
It's said that people who have lost consciousness are unaware of what is going on around them. Not so with Jonathan.
The ghost knelt down next to the prostrate body in the foyer and cradled Jon's head in the crook of her arm. Jonathan struggled to regain his ability to speak. He struggled to open his eyes. And all the while, the ghost held his head and rocked slowly back and forth, singing that old song. Memories came back in a torrent to both of them. The smell of Shalimar. The taste of Pinot Grigio. Warm grass under bare feet. Aqua water in clear ponds.
Jonathan opened his eyes and blue eyes stared back. He opened his mouth and tried to form the words he had waited for so long to say.
••••••••••••
Part 4
Excellent, @Mo-T!
ReplyDeletePart 4 up for grabs...
Part whatever:
ReplyDeleteI had been walking down the hall, waiting to get into my apartment, when I heard a commotion next door. My cheapskate neighbor, Jonathan was up to no good I thought. Being nosy as I am wont, I strutted right over and let my self in - I was determined to straightened him out once and for all. He was lying on the floor; a glass of Prosecco still in his hands. The window was open and a breeze wafted in....was that a ghost? Of course not says I...they don't exist....yet the smell of Shalimar kept bringing back sordid memories of Jonathan and Pesto.
I remember when Jonathan first invited me for dinner. He was busy making something green in a pan. A lot of it ended up on his kitchen wall and ceiling. To this day, it looks like green paint...
Jonathan began to stir and he opened his blue eyes. They fluttered. I was about to run over and help him get up but something made me stop. Was it the smell of fried onions? Is that garlic? what is that odor? I went over to the kitchen and yes....he had been making lasagne. The noodles were still in the noodle maker. What had made him stop mid-pasta making and walk over to the window? Was there something lurking out there? I went to look and yes....outside the window was a young lady getting on her bike and peddling a mile a minute. She looked liked she was trying to get away. Look...she's heading toward Central Park...and she's not even using the bike lane.....what oh what is going on...... I turned to those beautiful blue eyes for crucial answers...He looked so forlorn. Was it the smell?
@JoeDiPinto, how on earth could anyone pick a “favorite” Claudine Longet album? Each is too parfait.
ReplyDeleteI did this puzzle thinking it was Monday (probably because I spent the actual Monday traveling from Rome to Boston, and wanted to blot the whole day out), for which it was a bit hard -- but now that I realize it's Tuesday, I love it even more! I had an inkling of the theme early on, with BUM AROUND, but for some reason thought that DUNGEON was a theme answer; since it starts with DUNG, and we'd already crossed one line at 3D, with "Hell" in the clue and DAMN in the answer, I really wondered where we were going. But then I realized what was going on, and the saucy revealer just made it perfect.
ReplyDeleteThe puzzle does have an old-timey feel, not only DELLA and BEADS (I was looking for some architectural term for an archway), but Jesse OWENS, and REAR WINDOW (which I have not scene, but certainly want to). Fortunately there's an ad for that movie about ELTON in today's paper, or I would have been trying to fit Kim Jong-Un into that space.
@Loren, I knew you'd rise to the defense of INTERFACE, and admire the gentle way you put it to Clare. I have to say you've largely won me over; I still dislike the way 'impact' is used today, but not so much on grammar grounds as that the meaning has degenerated into just another way to say "affect," losing the strength of the noun. Ah well, that's how a metaphor becomes a cliche, probably can't be avoided.
Anyway, it's good to be back! And to see this mystery thing going on -- maybe Perry Mason will step in to solve it.
ReplyDeleteThank you, @Joe.
I hoped that it was not too presumptuous of me to add Part 3. I do read the blog but don't post every day. This sounded like too much fun to pass up.
Before I retired from teaching, I used to take students to Europe, and we'd start a group "poem" on the plane on the trip over. The only rule was to jump off from the previous entry.
It was passed back and forth and around to everyone, including chaperones, tour guides, cabbies, bus drivers.... We were usually gone for 10 days, so by the time the project got back to me on the plane ride home, it was a notebook full of (the most wonderful) ramblings, poetry, prose pieces, drawings, things taped the the book.... A real treasure.
@GILL I
ReplyDeleteTerrific Part 4!
Now, I guess it's @Aketi's turn.
Like @Nancy, I find INTERFACE a rather soulless way to communicate because it seems to me to have sprung from the computer world - I can picture two robots interfacing but not human beings.
ReplyDeletePORTAL being in the neighborhood of BEADS was fun. I always thought it would be cool to have a doorway sectioned off by beads - I was under 10 years old in the 60's and beads seemed so hip.
I had to actually read the entire clue for 33A to get PAWN as I was surprisingly clueless on what _ED had to do with publishing election results. The day after the first Tues. in Nov., duh.
Aimee Lucido, nice Tuesday puzzle!
And I will have to go back and catch up on the Green Paint saga. I just spent the weekend at a cabin with no internet. To get the puzzle to download, I had to set my iPad to its cellular INTERFACE and then stand on the coffee table and hold my tablet in the air as if I were praying for a signal, which is not conducive to keeping up on the blog.
I just sent @Aketi an email in case she's missed the blog shoutout.
ReplyDelete@Mo-T -- not presumptuous at all, it's great that you stepped in.
ReplyDelete@GILL -- thanks for doing Part 4 (I should point out that Red Hook is nowhere near Central Park, though.) :-)
@Quasi -- Well, I -- oops, I mean Jonathan really likes Claudine's version of "Small Talk" from the "Love Is Blue" album. But he likes them all.
Maybe we should leave Part 5 until tomorrow? Or at least later in the day? So as not to clog the blog.
@Mo-T -- Wow!!!!!!! You took your students to Europe AND you also got them -- along with bus drivers, tour guides, chaperones and cabbies -- to collaborate on a long, wonderful group poem?! What fun!!!!! Why, oh why, did I never have a teacher like you? Don't get me wrong: I've had some wonderful and inspiring teachers who greatly enriched my life. But I never had a teacher anything like you. My loss, I'm sure.
ReplyDeleteI loved your Green Paint contribution and wonder why you don't comment here more often. You're an entertaining writer.
ReplyDelete@Nancy 1:59 PM
I must tell you that you made my day. Thanks!!
Those European trips were fabulous. They were all the more remarkable because our school has a graduating class of about 35 students. We had fundraisers for one year, and traveled the next, so many of our students were able to get to Europe.
You've not known how happy a student can make a teacher until one pinches you at the Roman Forum and whispers, "This is where Mark Antony spoke."
I tried to tie them to my English classroom, and since I always had lots of art and history incorporated into the lessons, to those disciplines as well. A Tale of Two Cities to London & Paris; The Odyssey to Italy & Greece; Literary Landscapes to England, Ireland & Wales; Belle Italia - just because it's Italy, huh?
I used to write all the time. Not so much anymore. But today was fun, so who knows?
Best.
This TuesPuztheme sits pretty well, with m&e.
ReplyDeletefave fillins included: DUNGEON. NUTELLA. DAMNRIGHT [nice pinch of saltiness]. RAINOUT. PORTAL. PAWN.
staff weeject pick: MTN. Most desperate, of the litter.
Didn't readily zero in on MANGA [Make American Not "Great" Again?] and DEUT. But these weren't very hard on the overall M&A nanosecond count, as the puz was pretty darnright neighborly.
Great blog write-up & congratz, Clerical Clare. Primo misc. bullets.
Thanx for the fun, and generally cool crossword-fill booty, Ms. Lucido darlin. Good job. No need to stay away so long, next time. [Old joke: Turn around. Good to see yer back!]
Masked & Anonymo9Us
**gruntz**
The comment portion of the Blog has jumped the shark with the green paint story stuff.
ReplyDeleteI thought Nutella was hazelnut spread, not chocolate. re "interface" being a noun: Can we just get over nouns that've become verbs? If you think about it, just about any noun can (and already has) become a verb: bench, rope, telephone, sling, wire, book...need I go on?
ReplyDeleteteedmn, every abode I've ever seen try to do beads to section off a...section...well, the beads are so annoying that they quickly get pushed aside, so you're missing nothing.
ReplyDeletePeople who throw away HEATH bars are HEATHens. I'm pretty sure that's where the word HEATHen comes from, in fact.
ReplyDelete@OffTheGrid - Uh, nobody is making you read it.
ReplyDelete@Mo-T: I guess my most satisfying returns as a teacher were the postcards from Europe telling me how much more my students enjoyed, or were fascinated by the great places they visited because of me. I still (after 28 yrs. in retirement) get responses like that. Also tickets for me and my son to a Giant's game (no comments please!).
ReplyDeleteRe: Off the grid:
ReplyDeleteLoved reference to Tha Fonz (shark jumper
Extraordinaire!)
ReplyDeleteThanks, @Fred 4:27PM
I know! Amazing. I see former students after their children's graduations who still talk about the jaunting cart rides in Killarney or the Oracle at Delphi or the Trevi Fountain.
Birds of a feather.
Definitely a Monday! But still fun.
ReplyDelete@JC66 challenge accepted. It’s turned into such a long scroll that I had to chop out parts 1-3.
ReplyDelete******* Part whatever:
I had been walking down the hall, waiting to get into my apartment, when I heard a commotion next door. My cheapskate neighbor, Jonathan was up to no good I thought. Being nosy as I am wont, I strutted right over and let my self in - I was determined to straightened him out once and for all. He was lying on the floor; a glass of Prosecco still in his hands. The window was open and a breeze wafted in....was that a ghost? Of course not says I...they don't exist....yet the smell of Shalimar kept bringing back sordid memories of Jonathan and Pesto.
I remember when Jonathan first invited me for dinner. He was busy making something green in a pan. A lot of it ended up on his kitchen wall and ceiling. To this day, it looks like green paint...
Jonathan began to stir and he opened his blue eyes. They fluttered. I was about to run over and help him get up but something made me stop. Was it the smell of fried onions? Is that garlic? what is that odor? I went over to the kitchen and yes....he had been making lasagne. The noodles were still in the noodle maker. What had made him stop mid-pasta making and walk over to the window? Was there something lurking out there? I went to look and yes....outside the window was a young lady getting on her bike and peddling a mile a minute. She looked liked she was trying to get away. Look...she's heading toward Central Park...and she's not even using the bike lane.....what oh what is going on...... I turned to those beautiful blue eyes for crucial answers...He looked so forlorn. Was it the smell? *******
Part 5:
Why did Dad have to faint and a nosy neighbor to show up before I could jack myself up to do it? If I still had to rely on my Citibike instead of my new green racing bike that I was able to buy after winning the Abu Dhabi Open, that neighbor would have been able to identify me for sure. Of course, its not like I actually fully carried out my full plan for revenge. So I don’t have that much to worry about.
Ironic that Dad mistook me for Mom when he briefly woke up while I was holding his head contemplating which choke hold to use on him. I guess I do look like her. The woven bracelet I made out of scraps from Mom’s scarves must still have a hint of her perfume since he started babbling about Shalimar. I admit that I enjoyed singing the macabre lyrics from the Dead Space version of “Twinkle Twinkle, Little Star” when I sang him back to sleep with a rear naked choke hold. I despised the original version of that song because he always sang it to me before bed, as if a song could make up for all his abuse.
Its probably for the best that I merely put Dad to sleep rather than taking it further. Tartaruga Pintado de Verde did threaten to take away my black belt if I dislocated Dad’s arms and legs and left him as helpless as he left me the night of the accident when he abandoned Mom and I for dead. If Tartaruga hadn’t found me in the ditch next to his dojo after I managed to crawl away from the burning car despite having four broken limbs, I probably would have died. And then to help me through the years of physical therapy and training in Martial Arts and adopt me. He’s more of a Dad than my Dad could ever hope to be.S
@Aketi
ReplyDeleteExcellent!
Who's next?
@Aketi... I knew you would try and choke someone to death. God, I'm still laughing. This is fun.....
ReplyDelete@JC66...Why don't you step in?....
ReplyDelete******* Part whatever:
ReplyDeleteI had been walking down the hall, waiting to get into my apartment, when I heard a commotion next door. My cheapskate neighbor, Jonathan was up to no good I thought. Being nosy as I am wont, I strutted right over and let my self in - I was determined to straightened him out once and for all. He was lying on the floor; a glass of Prosecco still in his hands. The window was open and a breeze wafted in....was that a ghost? Of course not says I...they don't exist....yet the smell of Shalimar kept bringing back sordid memories of Jonathan and Pesto.
I remember when Jonathan first invited me for dinner. He was busy making something green in a pan. A lot of it ended up on his kitchen wall and ceiling. To this day, it looks like green paint...
Jonathan began to stir and he opened his blue eyes. They fluttered. I was about to run over and help him get up but something made me stop. Was it the smell of fried onions? Is that garlic? what is that odor? I went over to the kitchen and yes....he had been making lasagne. The noodles were still in the noodle maker. What had made him stop mid-pasta making and walk over to the window? Was there something lurking out there? I went to look and yes....outside the window was a young lady getting on her bike and peddling a mile a minute. She looked liked she was trying to get away. Look...she's heading toward Central Park...and she's not even using the bike lane.....what oh what is going on...... I turned to those beautiful blue eyes for crucial answers...He looked so forlorn. Was it the smell? *******
Part 5:
Why did Dad have to faint and a nosy neighbor to show up before I could jack myself up to do it? If I still had to rely on my Citibike instead of my new green racing bike that I was able to buy after winning the Abu Dhabi Open, that neighbor would have been able to identify me for sure. Of course, its not like I actually fully carried out my full plan for revenge. So I don’t have that much to worry about.
Ironic that Dad mistook me for Mom when he briefly woke up while I was holding his head contemplating which choke hold to use on him. I guess I do look like her. The woven bracelet I made out of scraps from Mom’s scarves must still have a hint of her perfume since he started babbling about Shalimar. I admit that I enjoyed singing the macabre lyrics from the Dead Space version of “Twinkle Twinkle, Little Star” when I sang him back to sleep with a rear naked choke hold. I despised the original version of that song because he always sang it to me before bed, as if a song could make up for all his abuse.
Its probably for the best that I merely put Dad to sleep rather than taking it further. Tartaruga Pintado de Verde did threaten to take away my black belt if I dislocated Dad’s arms and legs and left him as helpless as he left me the night of the accident when he abandoned Mom and I for dead. If Tartaruga hadn’t found me in the ditch next to his dojo after I managed to crawl away from the burning car despite having four broken limbs, I probably would have died. And then to help me through the years of physical therapy and training in Martial Arts and adopt me. He’s more of a Dad than my Dad could ever hope to be.S
Part 6
Then Jonathan mistook the green paint for a bottle of Martini & Rossi vermouth.
************
Brilliant, @Aketi! Yes, @JC66, Part 6 is yours for the taking, should you so desire...
ReplyDeleteSo far we have contributions from:
Nancy - Part 1
Joe D - Part 2
Mo-T - Part 3
GILL - Part 4
Aketi - Part 5
It's true it's going to be unwieldy to keep reposting all the prior segments with each new installment. I think what @Aketi did is a good idea: just include the immediately prior entry, for continuity. For now I'll copy them all into one email draft as we go.
And here are the characters and "plot" so far:
• Jonathan (introduced in Part 1) -- the protagonist, who as a child had an experience involving an odor of paint which has haunted him for years and tangentially affected many other people as well. The details of this experience have not been established, but presumably it relates to the title of the story.
• Rudolf Steiner (introduced in Part 2) -- a piano salesman and Jonathan's good friend, who Jonathan feels may be able to help him unravel the past. Rudolf himself has not yet appeared in the story; Jonathan was waiting for him when he was interrupted by the appearance of his daughter, whom he had not seen in many years.
• Jonathan's daughter (not named -- first appears at the end of Part 2). Had an adverse relationship with Jonathan when young, possibly involving some sort of abuse, and was later, along with her mother, abandoned by Jonathan in the wake of a fiery car accident. Was later adopted by Tartaruga Pintado de Verde, a martial arts expert whose dojo was near the locale of the car accident. Calls Jonathan by his first name.
• Jonathan's neighbor (not named -- introduced in Part 4). Thinks Jonathan is a cheap no-goodnik. She goes to Jonathan's apartment upon hearing a commotion and discovers Jonathan lying on the floor. Through the window she sees a young lady (Jonathan's daughter) pedaling quickly into the distance on a bicycle.
• Tartaruga Pintado de Verde (introduced in Part 5). The "Green-Painted Turtle," he is a martial arts expert who adopted Jonathan's daughter. The Tartaruga himself has not yet appeared in the story.
So there you have it. What will happen next?...
@Joe D
ReplyDeleteSee "Part 6" above. (10:01)
@JC66 -- Got it. A stand-alone non sequitur to add some mystery to the mystery.
ReplyDeleteToo chirpy of a review for me. You want to be a lawyer? More critical eye, hon.
ReplyDeleteI never understood how the word "booty" became associated with today's body part--which already had, in my view, a slew of euphemisms. Yet it seems to be a current favorite, and its exclusion is missed here. BUM is strictly British, though a string of Cottonelle ads boosted its stateside popularity.
ReplyDeleteThis was a rather typical Tuesday, with a well-executed theme and some fun fill. I was going to mention the Burr/REARWINDOW/DELLA connection, BUTT someone beat me to it. I agree: one hell of a film, with honorary DOD Grace at her close-up best. The actual DOD is SHANIA Twain, who has a very nice--well, you know. Birdie.
I thought I'd gone to heaven when I found a gelato in Rome made out of NUTELLA. Then I found a choco/cookie dough concoction by Trader Joe. Ohhhh.
ReplyDeleteMy mom always wanted a HEATH Bar when she sent me to the store for a Sunday afternoon treat. I preferred the mysterious Mars Bar.
Has anyone here seen that movie about ELTON? Mr. W was playing one of his CDs yesterday, and I am now inspired to go.
Yes, a typical Tuesday, but the theme helped me with at least one answer.
Now, off to the dentist.
Diana, Lady-in-Waiting, already crowned, and not a PM
Good write-up, Clare, but goodness gracious, all those naughty words! What's this world coming to?
ReplyDeleteFun puzzle! I "saw" the theme before I got to the revealer, but it was neat to see that it, too, was a themer. I was looking for a mention of PRATt and Whitney in there...
ReplyDeleteReading the comments today was quick as I was able to scroll past the silly collaborative "novel" in order to comment that:
: clearly in the minority, I strongly dislike NUTELLA.
: I love SHANIA Twain, natch.
: REAR WINDOW is a must-see film. The viewer is always guessing the outcome.
Delightful Tuesday, one of the best for this day of the week.
ANGST ASSET
ReplyDeleteDAMNRIGHT I'm gonna BUMAROUND,
it's the EASIEST RATED thing to do.
BEHINDTHESCENES THUS I'll be found,
not to LEAVE Bevis' party that BUTTHEAD THREW.
--- SHANIA RAE ARDEN
Clare - Nice write-up. But as a future attorney you should watch some or all of the Perry Mason episodes. Even though it went off the air in the 60's it is in almost constant rerun on many of the TV channels, usually in the mornings. Erle Gardner was an attorney himself and his shows had a lot of the up and coming actors and actresses of the time. The shows are top notch as evidenced by their continuing popularity. At the time of his death Gardner was the top selling author of the 20th century. And his name Erle has been a crossword constant throughout the years of the NYT puzzle.
ReplyDelete@LMS -- Some people dislike the use of certain nouns as verbs because such acts are typically done by soulless, stupid, venal people -- such as those in marketing (people who speak of "branding" but not to ID an animal by searing its flesh), or certain inappropriately situated Dunning-Kruger types who speak of "architecting."
ReplyDeleteThese are often the moves of dumb-but-wanna-seem-smart people -- people who say "Between you and I" because to them "me" just *sounds* incorrect.
[Syndie solver, 7-9-10]